Staple fiber cutter



- May 21, 1957 w. v. HENRY 2,792,838

STAPLE F BER CUTTER 4 i-"iie'd July 27, 1955 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENT OR William Elfin] y 1957 w. v. HENRY STAPLE FIBER CUTTER 5 Shets-Sheet 2 Filed July 27, 1955 INVENTOR Williamlffizuy ATTORNEY May 21,1957 w. v. HENRY 2,792,888

STAPLE FIBER CUTTER Filed July 27, 1955 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 United States Patent STAPLE FIBER CUTTER William V. Henry, Candler, N. C., assignor to American Enka Corporation, Enka, N. C., a corporation of Delaware Application July 27, 1955, Serial No. 524,783 10 Claims. (Cl. 164-61) This invention relates to the cutting of staple fibers and more particularly to cutting staple fibers from tows of high tenacity materials such as nylon.

In the preparation of nylon staple fibers a number of yarns are withdrawn from a creel and are combined into a tow. This tow is crimped by passing it into a stufiing box. Thereafter the tow is cut to staple lengths. For economic reasons the tows are usually large and the operation is nearly continuous.

Of' course, cutters for preparing staple lengths from continuous lengths of yarn are known but these are neither reliable enough nor strong enough to handle heavy tows of high tenacity nylon on a continuous basis.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a heavy duty staple fiber cutter especially designed to handle highhigh denier tows of high tenacity material.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will be apparent upon consideration of the following detailed description of an embodiment thereof in conjunction with the annexed drawings wherein:

Figure 1 is a view in elevation of a tow cutting machine constructed in accordance with the teachings of the present invention;

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the machine of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a view in section taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a view partially in section and partially in elevation taken from the line 44 of Figure 3; and

Figure 5 is a View in radial section taken on the line 5--5 of Figure 1.

The apparatus of the present invention involves interdigitating guide pins and 11 which shape succeeding lengths of tow into a zig-zag path and a cutting disc 12 which severs the tow so disposed into staple fibers of pre determined length.

The guide pins 10 are equally circumferentially spaced around a supporting disc 13 which is keyed to a shaft 14 which is, in turn, mounted for free rotation in bearings 15 and 16. The pins 10 are parallel to one another and extend from the disc 13 parallel to the axis of the shaft 14. The pins 11 are mounted on a disc 17 in equally, circumferentially spaced relation. The disc 17 is keyed to a shaft 18 which is mounted for rotation in bearings 19 and 20. ShaftlS is connected to a source of driving torque and, when driven, drives the disc 17 which, in turn, drives the disc 13. To this end the disc 17 is peripherally notched out at 21 between each pair of pins 11.

The shafts 14 and 18 are mounted on a frame 22 and are spaced apart a distance less than the sum of the radii of the tow discs. The disc 17 lie-s slightly further from the frame 22 than the disc 13. The resulting overlap is accommodated by entry of the pins 10 into the notches at 21. Actually when the disc 17 drives the disc 13 a portion of the defining wall of notch 21 transmits force to the respective pin 10.

A pressure wheel 23 having a rubber tire or peripheral surface 24 is mounted for free rotation on the shaft 14, see Figure 5. The tire 24 is pressed inwardly as it is 2,792,888 Patented May. 21, 1 957 engaged by the pins 11, see Figure 4. A similar wheel 25 with a tire 26 is mounted for free rotation on the shaft 18. The peripheral surface of tire 26 is engaged by the pins 10 at the zone of overlap.

When the discs 13 and 17 are rotated as indicated by the arrows of Figures 1 and 4, tow 27 is drawn between the pins 10 and 11 as indicated in'Figure 4. Slippage is prevented by pinching the tow between the pins 10 and the tire 26 or the pins 11 and the tire 24 .as the case may be. When the tow is in its zig-Zag position it is cut by the cutting disc 12 to a staple length about equal to the distance between the adjacent pins 10 and 11 at the cutting point.

The cutting disc 12 operates in zone of overlap between the pins 10 and 11 so that the pins 10 lie further from the axis of the shaft 14 than does the cutting blade or disc 12. The cutting disc 12 is mounted for rotation on a shaft-28 which is supported by bearing 29, 30 and 31 on a frame 32. Frame 32 is supported from a frame 33 which is, in turn, supported from the floor by standards. To elfect this support bolts 34 and 35 are arranged to project from the frame 33 and the frame 32 is arranged to slide thereon. Sliding adjustment of the frame 32 toward or away from the frame 33 is effected by a bolt 36. Bolt 36 has a threaded area which coacts with a nut 37 which is Welded to the outer part of the frame 33. The .end of bolt 36 that enters the frame 32 is shouldered at 38 and a nut 39 caps the portion 44} of reduced cross section, see Figure 3. By this arrangement bolt 36 can turn freely in frame 32. Thus, when the bolt is rotated, either its shoulder at 38 biases the frame 32 toward the discs 13 and 17 or the nut 39 biases the frame 32 away from them. To facilitate turning bolt 36 it may be provided with a handle 41, as shown in Figure 2. A 'bolt 42 interconnects the frames 32 and 33 at the end remote from bolt 34. Bolt 42 does not bear the load of the guide bolts 34 and 35. The nuts on the bolts 34, 35, and 42 act as adjustable stops to'limit movement of the frame 32 away from the frame 33.

Since the cutter disc is mounted on the shaft 28 which, in turn, -is mounted onthe frame 32, it is evident that turning the bolt 36 actually adjusts the position of the blade 12.

In order to cut the strands of the tow 27, it is desirable that the tow be spaced outwardly from the discs 13 and 17. To this end a fork 43 is provided. Pork 43 is comprised of two tines 43a and 43b. These tines have beveled ends which lie parallel to the faces of the discs 13 and 17. From their beveled ends, the tines extend downwardly at an acute angle to the plane of the discs 13 and 17 and then normal to said plane to an adjustable anchorage 44 in the frame 33. It can be seen that the tines 43a and 43b hold the tow away from the discs 13 and 17in a position to be cut by the cutting disc 12.

In operation a tow is continuously fed downwardly into contact with the discs 13 and 17. The tow is picked up by the pins 10, 11 and formed into a zig-zag path, see Figure 4. It is crimped between the pins of one disc and the tire which is coaxially mounted with the other disc. While it is in this crimped or firmly held position, the knife 12 cuts the zigzag tow between the points of change of direction. As the wheels 23 and 25 continue to advance the cut staple lengths are expelled from the bottom of the machine where suitable means, preferably an air jet, not shown, are disposed in order 'to insure that the cut staple is removed from the pins and related parts. The degree of interdigitation or interlocking of the pins and the two discs determines the length of the staple which is being cut. If desired, grinding means may be to maintain it sharp.

What is claimed is:

1; Apparatus for cutting staple lengths from tow that comprises a pair of discs oppositely rotatable in marginally overlapping relation, said discs having thereon circumferentially spaced axially projecting pins that interdigitate in the area of overlap, a cutter acting between the interdigitated pins and means coacting with the pins in the areas of interdigitation rigidly to hold tow in a zig-zag path intersecting said cutter.

2. Apparatus for cutting staple lengths from tow that comprises a pair of discs oppositely rotatable in marginally overlapping relation, said discs having thereon circumferentially spaced axially projecting pins that interdigitate in the area of overlap, a cutter acting between the interdigitated pins and a resilient tire mounted co axially with each disc in position for coacting with the pins in the areas of interdigitation rigidly to hold tow in a zig-zag path intersecting said cutter.

3. Apparatus for cutting staple lengths from tow that comprises a pair of discs oppositely rotatable in marginally overlapping relation, said discs having thereon circumferentially spaced axially projecting pins that interdigitate in the area of overlap, a cutter acting between the interdigitated pins, a pair of resilient tires, means mounting one of said tires for free rotation coaxially with each disc, the tire on one disc intersecting the path of movement of the pins projecting from the other disc rigidly to hold tow in a zig-zag path intersecting said cutter.

4. Apparatus for cutting staple lengths from tow that comprises a pair of discs oppositely rotatable in marginally overlapping relation, said discs having thereon cir cumferentially spaced axially projecting pins that interdigitate in the area of overlap and interconnect the discs in mutually driving relation, a cutter acting between the interdigitated pins, means coacting with the pins in the areas of interdigitation rigidly to hold tow in a zig-zag path intersecting said cutter and means to rotate one of said pins.

5. Apparatus for cutting staple lengths from tow that comprises a pair of discs, means mounting said discs on parallel horizontal axes for rotation in marginally overlapping relation, one of said discs having circumferentially spaced marginal indentations alternating with circumferentially spaced, axially extending, projecting pins, the other of said discs having circumferentially spaced axially projecting pins oriented to enter the notches of the other disc in the area of overlap, a rotatable disc cutter mounted on horizontal axis normal to the axis of said discs with its edge in a position to act between the pins in a path parallel thereto and resilient tires coaxially mounted with said discs and coacting with the pins in the areas of inter digitation rigidly to hold the tow in a zig-zag path intersccting the plane of said cutter.

6. Apparatus for cutting staple lengths from tow that comprises a pair of discs, means mounting said discs on parallel horizontal axes for rotation in marginally overlapping relation, one of said discs having circumferentially spaced marginal indentations alternating with circumferentially spaced axially extending projecting pins, the other of said discs having circumferentially spaced axially projecting pins oriented to enter the notches of the other disc in the area of overlap, a rotatable disc cutter mounted on horizontal axis normal to the axis of said discs with its edge in a position to act between the pins in a path parallel thereto, means mounting said cutter for movement toward and away from said discs and resilient tires coaxially mounted with said discs and'coacting with the pins in the areas of interdigitation rigidly to hold the tow of zig-zag path intersecting the plane of said cutter.

7. The method of cutting tow into predetermined lengths which comprises feeding a continuous tow in zigzag formation into engagement with a cutting blade, anchoring the tow at points of change in direction, continuously increasing the tension in the tow from a minimum at the initial point of anchorage to a maximum at the point of severance, cutting the tow into predetermined lengths and thereafter releasing the anchorage at the point of change in direction.

8. The method of cutting tow into predetermined lengths which comprises feeding a continuous tow in zigzag formation into engagement with a cutting blade, anchoring the tow at points of change in direction, continuously increasing the tension in the tow from the point of anchorage to the point of severance, the maximum tension occurring at the latter point, shifting the zig-zag formation laterally into contact with the cutting blade whereby the continuous tow is severed into predetermined lengths and thereafter releasing the anchorage at the points of change in direction.

9. The method of cutting tow into predetermined lengths which comprises feeding a continuous tow into engagement with a cutting blade by the use of a pair of circular wheels each having a series of pins projecting laterally from the outer surface thereof, the pins of one wheel overlapping and interlocking with the pins of the other wheel in the zone of cutting thereby pressing the tow into a zig-zag path symmetrical with respect to the cutting blade and thereafter feeding the tow past the cutting blade thereby severing the tow into predetermined lengths defined substantially by the distance between said interlocking pins in the cutting zone.

10. The method of cutting tow into predetermined lengths which comprises feeding a continuous tow into engagement with a cutting blade by the use of two series of spaced pins, the pins in each series rotating about a common axis and the pins of one series overlapping and interlocking with the pins of the other series thereby pressing the continuous tow into a zig-zag path symmetrically disposed on either side of the cutting blade, anchoring the tow at points of change of direction, and thereafter feeding the tow past the cutting blade thereby severing the same into predetermined lengths and releasing the anchorage at the points of change in direction whereby the severed tow may be removed from the individual pins.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,723,998 Beria Aug. 13, 1929 2,221,716 Morton Nov. 12, 1940 2,254,058 Bird Aug. 16, 1941 2,387,252 Furness Oct. 23, 1945 2,532,458 New Dec. 5, 1950 2,602,479 Trainor July 8, 1952 2,618,021 Lipscomb Nov. 18, 1952 2,656,293 Huch Oct. 20, 1953 2,701,936 Drumond Feb. 15, 1955 

